If you think hummus can’t get any better than the store bought tub sitting in your fridge right now, this beet hummus is about to change your mind.
It’s creamy, earthy, a little tangy, and that deep magenta color? It stops people in their tracks at every snack table. Best of all, it comes together in minutes with ingredients you can grab at any grocery store.
This is the kind of recipe that looks impressive but asks almost nothing of you. No cooking skills required. No fancy equipment. Just a blender and a handful of good ingredients.
Why Beet Hummus Deserves a Spot in Your Rotation
Regular chickpea hummus is great. But beet hummus brings something extra to the table. Roasted beets add a natural sweetness and a deep, slightly mineral flavor that balances beautifully against the nuttiness of tahini and the brightness of lemon juice.
The color alone makes it worth making that vivid pink purple is completely natural, zero food dye, all beet.
It works as a dip for pita chips, raw veggies, or crackers. Spread it on a sandwich instead of mayo. Use it as a base layer under roasted vegetables on a dinner plate. Once you make it, you’ll find yourself reaching for it constantly.
What You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short and straightforward. Here’s what goes into this beet hummus:
- 1 medium roasted beet, cooled
- 1 (14 oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste — find it in the international foods aisle or near the nut butters)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 ice cubes
- Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing
A quick note on the roasted beet: if you haven’t roasted beets before, it’s easy. Wrap a whole beet in aluminum foil and roast it at 400°F for about 45 minutes to an hour, until a fork slides in without resistance.
Let it cool completely before using it in this recipe. You can also buy pre roasted beets at most grocery stores in the produce section those work perfectly and save time.
The tahini is worth sourcing a good brand. It should be smooth and pourable, not grainy or bitter. Brands like Soom, Seed + Mill, or Whole Foods 365 are solid options widely available across the US.
How to Make It
This is where it gets almost laughably simple.
Add the cooled roasted beet to your blender. Toss in the drained chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, salt, and the two ice cubes. Blend everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and we mean ultra smooth, not just “mostly blended.” Let the blender run for a full minute or two if needed.
The ice cubes are the secret move here. They help the hummus get that light, whipped texture you usually only get at good restaurants. Don’t skip them.
Once blended, taste and adjust. Need more salt? Add a pinch. Want more lemon? Squeeze in a little more. Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with a generous drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. That olive oil on top isn’t optional it adds richness and a beautiful sheen.
That’s the whole recipe.
Serving Ideas
Beet hummus is made for sharing. Set it out as part of a snack spread with warm pita bread, sliced cucumber, baby carrots, radishes, and bell pepper strips. It also works wonderfully as an appetizer before dinner a bowl of this on the table while guests settle in is always a hit.
For a quick weeknight meal, spread a thick layer on toast, top it with soft boiled eggs and a handful of arugula, and drizzle with olive oil. It’s also excellent as a spread in wraps or grain bowls.
If you want to dress it up a little, add toppings: a sprinkle of sesame seeds, a few whole chickpeas, fresh herbs like parsley or dill, or a pinch of smoked paprika. These additions don’t change the flavor dramatically, but they make the presentation feel put-together.
Storage Tips
Store leftover beet hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to five days. The color may deepen slightly over time, but the flavor stays fresh. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top before sealing the container this helps preserve freshness.
It does not freeze particularly well, as the texture can become grainy after thawing. Make a fresh batch when you need it since it takes about five minutes of active work, that’s not a hardship.
Yes, you can. Drain them well before blending. The flavor will be slightly milder and less complex than roasted beets, but it still makes a good hummus. Roasting brings out more sweetness and depth, so it’s worth doing when you have the time.
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a nutty, slightly bitter flavor and is a core ingredient in traditional hummus. You’ll find it at most major grocery chains in the international foods aisle, near the nut butters, or at Middle Eastern grocery stores. If you’re in a pinch, natural almond butter or sunflower seed butter can substitute, though the flavor will be different.
Add water, a tablespoon at a time, and blend again until you reach the consistency you want. The two ice cubes in the recipe help with this, but every blender is different and chickpea brands vary in moisture content.
Yes. The garlic adds a sharp, savory note that balances the sweetness of the beet, but if you’re sensitive to raw garlic, you can roast the garlic cloves alongside the beet for a softer, sweeter flavor or leave it out entirely.
Yes to both. Every ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten-free and plant-based.
Absolutely. Double everything proportionally and blend in batches if your blender isn’t large enough to handle it all at once.
The Smoothest Beet Hummus You’ll Ever Make
Ingredients
- 1 medium roasted beet cooled and peeled
- 14 ounces can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tahini sesame paste
- 0.5 lemon juiced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for finishing
Instructions
- Roast the beet: Wrap a whole beet in aluminum foil and roast at 400°F until fork-tender. Cool completely, then peel. Skip this step if using store-bought pre-roasted beets.
- Load the blender: Add the cooled roasted beet (1 medium roasted beet, cooled and peeled), drained chickpeas (14 ounces can chickpeas, rinsed and drained), tahini (2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)), lemon juice (0.5 lemon, juiced), garlic cloves (2 garlic cloves), salt (0.5 teaspoons salt), and ice cubes (2 ice cubes) to a blender.
- Blend until ultra smooth: Blend on high for 1–2 full minutes until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed. The ice cubes give it a light, whipped texture — do not skip them.
- Taste and adjust: Taste the hummus. Add a pinch more salt or a little extra lemon juice if needed, then blend briefly again.
- Serve and finish: Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for finishing). Serve immediately with pita, crackers, or fresh vegetables.
